Furnace.



H. BATCHELOR.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. 1915.

Patented Mar. 11,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. BATCHELOR.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28.1915.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

v gvwe'nfo'; 7547-240 7 Km fr/Z62 Z0 7' atfoznuq HORTON BATCHELOR, OF SHERIDAN, W YOMI NG.

FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed May 28, 1915. Serial No. 30,980.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that -I Hon'rox BATCHELOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sheridan, in the county of Sheridan and State of \Vyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to furnaces and it has for its object the provision of an improved device of this nature embodying in combination new and improved features of such a nature that a practically complete combustion may be had so that smoke will be prevented and the greatest economy in operation will be secured.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the construct on and operation of the invention, it may be well to consider for a moment some of the problems presented in the production of a furnace of this nature and to consider in a general and broad way the objects aimed at in the production of such a furnace. The errors made in the construction of combustion chambers heretofore employed arose largely from. the fact that the entire subject was treated as a purely mechanical problem when, as a matter of fact, it should have been treated as a chemical problem because it is only by securing the pro-per chemical combination. that complete combustion can be attained.

The combustion chambers heretofore employed have not given satisfactory results and in most cases there has been a great loss of fuel placed in the combustion chamber and this loss has been entirely due to incomplete oxidation. lVith most of the devices at present in use, oxygen is supplied either by natural or forced draft. but in none of them with which I am familiar has adequate means been provided for properly mixing the air with the fuel in such manner that a complete chemical combination upon combustion is the result. It may, therefore, be stated that the purpose of this invention is to not only mix the air and the fuel, but that it has for its object. the provision of means by which the quantity of air supplied mav be varied in proportion to the carbon and hydrogen content of 'the fuel. It is intended by the present invention to provide a structure in which the air and the fuel are first mechanically mixed in the proper proportions before belng introduced into the combustion chamber so that the proper chemical combination to produce perfect combustion is instantly brought about when the mixture is subjected to the action of heat and not only is it intended to thus predetermine the propermixture of the fuel and air but the mechanical apparatus is so arranged that the proportion of air to the solid fuel may be varied in proportion to the carbon and hydrogen content of the fuel rather than being varied in proportion to the volume of the fuel. The provision of such a structure as is herein outlined renders the process of combustion certain instead of haphazard. I A further feature of the invention resides in providing a preliminary combustion chamber in which a preliminary combustion takes lace and a secondary combustion chamber in which combustion is completed in a manner hereinafter set forth. It will therefore be seen that in carrying out the invention the processes of the chemist are closely followed in thatthe carbon and hydrogen content of the fuel. is

first determined, the fuel is pulverized to render the chemical action rapid and certain. the air is supplied in just the proper proportion to suit the carbon and hydrogen content of the material and thereby the result is rendered uniform and'accurate.

The apparatus shown in the accompanying drawing is merely intended to illustrate the principles involved and to show a preferred form of construction but it is to be understood that many modifications thereof may be resorted to without departure from the invention.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the air wheels.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the fuel feed wheels.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through one of the air wheels and its associated parts.

Fig. 6 is a like view through the fuel feed wheel, and,

Fig. 7 is a detail view of one end of the. shaft upon which said wheels are mounted. showing a frictional adjusting device hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, designates an electric motor which drives an air compressor 6. This compressor serves to force air through a .pipe 7 into a tank 8 where theair is preferably compressed to about one pound pressure, though this may be varied as may be found to be desirable. The

air passes from the air tank 8 through a pipe 9, a portion of which is disposed within a furnac'elO. The air as it passes through the portion of the pipe which is disposed within the furnace absorbs much heat which would otherwise pass through the stack and be wasted. The pipe 9 leads to branchpipes 11. These branch pipes communicate with chambers 12 and 13 in which air wheels .14 are mounted upon a shaft 15 and in its passage past these wheels the air causes said The shaft 15 carries a fuel.

wheels to rotate. feed wheel 16 provided with pockets 17 in its periphery. This fuel feed wheel is dis posed within a passage 18 leadii'ig from the bottom of ahopper 19v toa mixing chamber '20. This mixing chamber isin communication through conduits 21 and 22 with a primary combustion chamber 22". A secondary combustion chamber 23- contains a mass of porous material 24 though I prefer to use fire clay mixed with of saw-dust which has previously been baked at a high temperature and then broken 4 to proper size.

this nature the air and fuel are forced into the primary combustion chamber and are ignitedby any suitable means, such for instance, as agas pilot .b'urner 24 but after the furnace is once started and the mass of material 24 becomes highly heated, it follows-that the mixed air and coal will imme diately enter into the' proper chemical combination to produce perfect combustion upon striking the highly heated mass and that this action will be continued as long as the motor acts to supply air to continue the feed-' ing action of thefuel. It is apparent that after the parts become thoroughly heated and the fire .is well started, preliminary combustion will take place in the chamber 22' and that the partly consumed products of combustion fromsaid chamber will have to pass through the highly heated mass24, on their way .to the chimney where they will becompletely consumed and the highest possible' efliciency willbe secured; Threaded uponthe end of the shaft 15-i s a. thumb-nut 25 which has a flange 26 arranged to bear against a boss 27 of one of the chambers 12 to thereby increase the friction upon shaft 15' so that it will require more or less air] town the shaft to feed a given quantity of coal into themixing chamber 20. it being understood that the amount of air then supplied is determined by the carbon and hydrogencontentof the coal as shownbya chemical analysis and in order that this amount of any suitable nature,

' Upon starting a furnace of of air may be properly determined, I mark upon theshaft 15 a point 28 which is to be set with relation to graduations 29 upon thumb-nut 25 so that the carbon and hydrogen content of the coal being known, the device may be immediately set to feed the proper proportion of air to the mixing chamber without reference to the volume of the coal and without continuous experiment in a haphazard manner in an endeavor to secure the proper proportion of air.

While I have shown the apparatus operating in conjunction with a heating surface, it is apparent that it may be utilized in any relation where complete combustion is desired, as for instance. in steam boilers or the comes within: the spirit. ofthe invencoalinto a preliminary combustion chamberin the presence of heat where preliminary combustion takes place and then conducting" the products of combustion from the prelimlnary combustion chamber to a secondary combustion chamber contalning a massof porous incandescent matter.

2.- An apparatus of the character described, comprisin an air driven whee disposed therein. a powdered fuel-feeding element connected 'to said wheel, a mixing chamber into which the .air

- is discharged after it passes said wheel and into which the powdered fuel is discharged and wherein said powdered-fuel is mixed r whenused as herein described and of such shape that thean air supply conduit,

with said air, means for conducting the air and powdered fuel after said mixture from said mixing chamber to a combustion chamber and means for varying the amount of fuel delivered in proportion to the amount of air which passes said wheel, said means comprising a friction device for retarding said wheel. 4

3. In a furnace construction a combustion chamber, a mixing chamber, a connection between the mixing chamber and the combustion chamber. a source of air under pressure, pipes leading from the source of air under pressure to the mlxmg chamber, a hopper for powdered coal, a pipe leading therefrom to the mixing chamber, a fuel feeding element disposed in said pipe, and

means actuated by the passage of air through said pipes for actuating said fuel feeding means.

i. In combination, with a combustion chamber comprising a primary part and a secondary part, the secondary part. containing a mass of non-combustible, porous material and the primary part being located therebeneath, a mixing chamber, a connection leading from said mixing chamber to the primary part of the combustion chamber of the furnace, a source of air under pressure, pipes leading from the source of air under pressure to tie mixing chamber, a container for powdered coal, means for feeding coal from said container into the mixing chamber.

5. A structure as recited in claim 4:, comprisin in addition means for pre-heating the air that is conducted to the mixing chamber.

6. A structure as recited in claim 4, wherein the pipes that conduct the air to the mixing chamber are in addition disposed within the path of the waste products of a furnace provided .will be produced within the ally combustion fromthe combustion chamber to thereby pre-heat the. air delivered to the mixing chamber. t

'4'. A structure as recited in claim 4, wherein the connection from the mixing chamber to the primary combustion chamber in addition leads from the lower part of the mixing chamber, and somev of the air delivered to the mixing chamber is delivered at such a point that swirling currents of air mixing cham-- ber.

8. A structure as recited in claim 4, wherein said' mixing chamber is in addition substantially spherical in form and the connection that leads to the combustion chamber leads from the lower portion and laterfrom the mixing chamber and some of the air ters the same tangentially to thereby set up swirling currents of air within said'mixing chamber. v

In testimony whereof I afix my signature,

HORTON BaronEma.

delivered to the mixing'chamber en- 

